Gated Reverb:
What is it?
Gated Reverb is an audio production technique that is usually applied to drums in the recording process. It is usually put in place to enhance the sound and tone of the drums while maintaining balance within the mix. It is a heavy reverb on the drums (typically the snare) that cuts off sharply at the end of the note to leave the snare sound feeling huge yet not taking up a lot of the space within the mix.
What is it used for?
Gated reverb is generally used to get huge sounding drums without any clipping or unwanted distortion in your mix. . This effect is most efficiently used within pop, soft rock, progressive rock and jazz fusion genres of music. The most common and well known example of the gated reverb is in Phil Collins 1981 track 'In the air tonight"
How would I use it in a session?
I would definitely consider using this production technique in future projects. I recently did a pop song mix and had I done this research before hand this technique would of been perfect to get the drums sounding more bold and full within my mix.
To set up a gated reverb in my mix I would send my drum tracks to a reverb with a medium room preset. Then I would route this through a stereo noise gate (which leads back into the reverb return channel) and set up both simultaneously an instant attack and release. This would help me to achieve the drum sound in the above video if I were using it as a reference track for any future pop or soft rock tracks I may be involved in creating/ mixing in future.
Pitch shifting and time stretching:
What is it?
Time stretching is the process of removing or repeating particular patterns of samples of audio. Pitch shifting is fairly similar in the way it works. Using the processing algorithms it modifies pitch of particular patterns of audio without effecting the timing. Within the algorithms the processor will adapt the pattern of the samples it removes or repeats to suit with the material that is being processed. In relation to protools Time shift is a free audio suite Plugin that enables you to do this process. Time shift has four algorithms built in to allow you to tailor the processing.
What is it used for?
Time stretching is specifically used to change the speed and, or duration of your audio track without affecting the pitch. Whilst a pitch shifter is part of a sound effects unit that raises or lowers the pitch of a signal. An example of a pitch shifter would be changing the guitars on a song to a lower or higher octave to the original note.
How would I use it in a session?
I think the most efficient and interesting creative choice with a pitch shifter would be to use it on certain elements of your track to provide harmonies where you may not have any. In particular if you had some spaces in a song where the vocal structure felt a bit Empty and you didn't have a chance to have rerecord some new vocals. I would layer (most likely a chorus or pre chorus) with either a pitch up or a pitch down, or even both to create the missing high or low harmonies if they are needed.
Re-sampling:
What is it?
Do you sometimes feel sections of your songs feel empty or lack interest? A good idea is to bounce those particular sections out and use them to create new parts for the track and even use these to create your own sample library for future use.
What is it used for?
These could be cast away ideas or things you have made but have not had enough material to contribute to making a full track. So instead of scraping it it is a good idea to store these bounces up just incase you can put them into something later on. Re-sampling can be used to create your own sample library or you can create samples of audio that can contribute to other producers works to make them better. These samples could also be used to fill out your track if it feels a bit empty.
How would I use it in a session?
Until researching production techniques I would not have thought to do this. However When I create things now, no matter how bad they may be I will file them away somewhere and these can be stored for use later as backing tracks or filler tracks or even instrumentals for projects down the line.
LFO filtering
What is it?
I found this video useful in my research. I have done some research into Low frequency Oscillators before here is my blog that touches on it https://h3arts3arch3rmusic.wixsite.com/home/blog/what-is-modular-synthesis
What is it used for?
A LFO is an electronic frequency that is usually below about 20Hz and creates a rhythmic pulse or a sweep. They can be used to hype the audience up before a drop in electronic music or to let the audience know the vocalist is about to come in on a song.
How would I use it in a session?
I had not realised what it was until now as it was called a riser. However in a song I mixed it used an LFO as a sweep in two sections. Right at the beginning and then later on in the song before the second verse begins.
Here is the song:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1B2l-vdu5AA6GRngf8JQrdgTr8d82u1Lk
SOS (2005) Steve Howell - How do I set up gated Reverb? [online] available at www.soundonsound.com/sound-advice/q-how-do-set-gated-reverb
IN THE MIX (2017) Special effects: Gated Reverb [online] available at
Youtube (2010) Phil Collins - In The Air Tonight (official music video) [online] available at https://youtu.be/YkADj0TPrJA
MUSIC TECH (2018) Adam Crute - Explorations in Time and Pitch in Cubase 9.5 [Part 2] – Time Stretching and Pitch Shifting [online] available at
Youtube (2016) Pro Audio Files - 4 basic ways to create pitch shifting effects in a mix [online] available at https://youtu.be/ccfKKiadbAM
Youtube (2013) Wickiemedia - What is a LFO? (Quick Tutorial) [online] Available at
https://youtu.be/YEHnd9b79Uc
Opmerkingen